Judge rules Uyinene Mrwetyana’s murder-accused can be named

A former post office employee accused of raping and murdering Uyinene Mretyana, 19, appeared in the Wyneburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where the matter was postponed to Thursday.

Judge Goolam Bawa has now allowed for the accused, Luyanda Botha, to be named and photographed following a court order that barred media from identifying him.

Botha, who has not applied for bail, appeared before the magistrate facing a murder and rape charge. The court on Tuesday heard how he was safer behind bars.

Mrwetyana, 19, was killed in the Clareinch Post Office in August. Investigators are still probing the case for clues despite the man’s confession to the attack. Investigators await DNA tests on blood found inside the post office as well as the suspect’s car.

The 42-year-old Botha was found to have had a prior conviction related to a robbery with aggravating circumstances as well as a case of rape that was opened against him and later withdrawn.

According to the provincial National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the Western Cape, Eric Ntabazalila, Mrwetyana went to the post office to claim a parcel which was sent to her.

“…when she got there, the electricity was down so she couldn’t get it. And then she went back again and when she got there, unfortunately, the accused was at the post office and he was there alone.

“He invited her to come through to get the parcel and when she went over that’s when he attacked her.”

In the accused’s last court appearance, the court heard how investigators obtained information after the suspect confessed to everything and “went to do a point out” of where everything happened with police.

“She tried to fight back but he overpowered her and she lost her life. Later on, the court was told that he put her into his car and he drove out to Lingelethu in Khayelitsha and that’s where he left her body,” Ntabazalila said.

(Compiled by Gopolang Moloko, background reporting by Kaunda Selisho)

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